The parallels between the Thunder and the NFL's New England Patriots usually are scary; just as with the Patriots and Tom Brady, OKC is clear eyed along with sober as a judge in terms of all non-KD/Westbrook personnel. Brady/KD/Westbrook stay; there is a sell-by date on the majority of us else. Getting Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova and this rights to rookie Domantas Sabonis for Ibaka made lots of basketball and salary cover sense. But doing it so close to Durant's decision day required some steady hands. And other body components.

3. It's hard to be Danny Ainge. The Celtics' GM offers made no secret the last year or so that he's wanted for you to package his cache of Draft picks as part of a deal for a All-Star or better level player. Which is part on the problem. Everyone knows how desperate Boston is to secure a big name to TD Lawn, so no one is happy to NBA MT Coins  give in. You keep hearing across the league that the Cs importance their young players a lot more than others do, and that often gets in the form of a potential deal staying consummated. Ainge went feast/famine along with Cal's Jaylen Brown with all the third pick, and he was right to verbally smack Cs fans that booed the decision when it was reported Thursday. No one has almost any idea what an 18-year-old little one will or won't turn into, and at the second of his greatest joy currently, it's so selfish and also unbecoming to boo him or her.